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Effects of grasses and a legume grown in monoculture or mixture on soil organic matter and phosphorus forms

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Abstract

Background and Aims

Legume use in forage production may replace mineral fertiliser N input by biological nitrogen fixation in grass-legume mixtures. However, these systems may also have high phosphorus requirements. The aim of the study was to determine the amount and composition of C, N and P forms in grassland soil under two different graminaceous species grown in monoculture or in mixture with a legume.

Methods

Cocksfoot and tall grass fescue were grown for four years as N-fertilised (165 kg ha−1) monocultures or in mixture with N2-fixing Lucerne. We analysed for forage yields, soil organic matter (SOM) storage, and soils’ content of soluble as well as insoluble mineral and organic N and P forms.

Results

Our data showed higher forage yields on plots with Lucerne compared to plots with N fertilized graminaceous species. Lucerne proportion in mixtures changed from 40 % to more than 80 % after 4 years. Despite similar SOM contents, we observed changes of soluble and insoluble N and P forms. Inorganic P consumption by Lucerne seemed to be reduced in mixtures and storage of organic P enhanced in some cases.

Conclusion

Different plant species and mixtures may have specific effects on soil parameters related to organic matter most probably due to plant specific rhizosphere effects. Negative effects of legumes on soil P may be attenuated when grown in mixture with grass. Ultimately, the effect of N-fertilizer replacement by legumes on SOM and nutrient forms may depend on the graminaceous species used for the mixture.

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Abbreviations

SOM:

Soil Organic Matter

BNF:

Biological Nitrogen Fixation

OP:

Organic Phosphorus

IP:

Inorganic Phosphorus

IN:

Inorganic Nitrogen

ON:

Organic Nitrogen

M:

Lucerne (Medico sativa)

D:

Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)

F:

Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)

PCA:

Principal Component Analyses

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Acknowledgments

The lead author, Alexandra Crème (PhD student), was funded by the European community’s Seventh Framework programme (FP2012-2015) under grant agreement no. 262060 (ExpeER) and the Regional Council for Poitou-Charentes. The research leading to these results has received funding from CNRS-INSU and ADEME under the framework of the project AEGES. We also acknowledge the Ministère des Affaires Etrangères for funding under the framework of the ECOSSUD project C13U02. We would like to thank the National Research Infrastructure ‘Agro- écosystèmes, Cycles Biogéochimique et Biodiversité (SOERE-ACBB http://www.soere-acbb.com/fr/) for providing support during the sampling campaign. We are also grateful to Jean-Pierre Terrasson and Daniel Billiou for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UR P3F, 86600, Lusignan, France

    Alexandra Crème & Abad Chabbi

  2. INRA, ECOSYS UMR (INRA-Agroparistech), 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France

    Alexandra Crème, Cornelia Rumpel & Abad Chabbi

  3. CNRS, IEES UMR (UPMC, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, INRA), 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France

    Cornelia Rumpel

  4. INRA, UE FERLUS, 86600, Lusignan, France

    François Gastal

  5. BIOREN-UFRO, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile

    Maria de la Luz Mora Gil

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  1. Alexandra Crème
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  2. Cornelia Rumpel
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Correspondence to Alexandra Crème or Abad Chabbi.

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Crème, A., Rumpel, C., Gastal, F. et al. Effects of grasses and a legume grown in monoculture or mixture on soil organic matter and phosphorus forms. Plant Soil 402, 117–128 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2740-x

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